This invention relates to a dressing aid which can be used by infirm patients to maintain independence in rising from bed and in dressing for daily activities.
One of the problems faced by the elderly or otherwise infirm segment of society is that of injury-producing falls while dressing. Elderly or infirm patients often have problems with balance and stability while standing and particularly difficulties in rising from a seated or lying position.
It is highly desirable to maintain the independence and dignity of infirm or elderly patients. More specifically, the activities of getting out of bed, getting dressed, getting undressed and getting into bed provide a number of the most vulnerable activities in which falls or injuries can arise.
Most people who do not have balance problems sit on their edge of their bed while dressing and undressing. When people develop balance problems, it is often recommend that the person use a straight back chair or straight back chair with arms for their dressing and undressing activities rather than the bed. However even the straight back chair is not as safe as necessary since it can topple and since it does not assist the user in rising from the lying or seated position.
It is one object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an improved dressing aid and method which can be used by an elderly or infirm patient to assist in rising from the bed and dressing to assist the patient in maintaining independence and dignity.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a dressing aid for an infirm patient comprising:
a chair having two sides, a seat bridging the sides onto which the patient can sit and a back rest;
the two side frames each defining two legs for supporting the chair;
the legs being attached to or arranged for attachment to a rigid floor panel to hold the chair against toppling;
each side frame including a top rail spaced at a height above the seat for grasping by the patient while seated and while standing alongside the chair.
Preferably the legs are attached to a flat plate separate from a floor for resting on the floor, the flat plate extending outwardly to side edges spaced outwardly from the legs to an extent to substantially prevent or inhibit sideways toppling of the chair.
Preferably the flat plate extends forwardly and rearwardly from the legs to front and rear edges thereof spaced outwardly from the legs to an extent to substantially prevent or at least inhibit forwards and rearwards toppling of the chair.
Preferably the legs include base flanges arranged for attachment by screws to a floor.
Preferably the top rail of each side frame extends to a forward most position spaced forwardly from a forward edge of the seat.
Preferably the top rail has a length from the forward edge of the seat which is at least equal to the length of the seat from a rear edge thereof to the forward edge thereof.
Preferably the top rail has a length from the forward edge of the seat to the forward most position such that, when the patient is seated on the seat with the legs of the patient over the front edge of the seat between the side frames, the patient can reach forwardly to grasp the top rail at or adjacent the forward most position for pulling the patient from the seat to a standing position.
Preferably the top rail has a height to provide a hand rail which can be grasped by the patient while standing at the side of the chair. Preferably a front leg of each of the side frames extends vertically downwardly from the forward most position.
Preferably the seat rests on a horizontal rail of each side frame spaced downwardly from and parallel to the top rail and bridging front and rear legs of the side frame and wherein an area between the horizontal rails in front of the front edge of the seat is open
Preferably there is provided a post with a top receptacle for receiving a hanger of clothes to be worn by the patient.
Preferably the post is mounted on the chair at the back rest so as to stand upwardly therefrom.
Preferably the back rest includes an upwardly facing sleeve portion into which the post is inserted.
Preferably the back rest includes a tubular rail which is bent to form a U-shape with one arm of the U-shape facing upwardly into which the post is inserted.
Preferably the back rest includes a seat back bridging the arms of the U-shaped tubular rail.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of assisting an infirm patient in dressing comprising:
providing a chair having two sides, a seat bridging the sides onto which the patient can sit and a back rest, the two side frames each defining two legs for supporting the chair;
attaching the legs to a rigid floor panel to hold the chair against toppling;
locating the chair between a bed of the patient and a closet of the clothes of the patient with the top rail on one side generally parallel to a side of the bed and the top rail on the other side adjacent the closet;
providing on each side frame a top rail spaced at a height above the seat for grasping by the patient while seated;
arranging the top rail on one side such that the patient can grasp the top rail to assist in rising from the bed to a standing position;
and arranging the top rail on the other side such that the patient can grasp the top rail while in a standing position at the closet. Preferably the method includes arranging the top rail of each side frame to extend to a forward most position spaced forwardly from a forward edge of the seat such that, when the patient is seated on the seat with the legs of the patient over the front edge of the seat between the side frames, the patient can reach forwardly to grasp the top rail at or adjacent the forward most position for pulling the patient from the seat to a standing position.
Preferably the method includes providing a post with a top receptacle and transferring a hanger of clothes to be worn by the patient from the closet to the receptacle.
Preferably the post is mounted on the chair at the back rest so as to stand upwardly therefrom.
The device as described in more detail hereinafter therefore resembles a rigid chair structure except that it is rigidly attached to the floor or has its own floor so that it cannot topple and thus provides a firm solid safe support for the elderly or infirm person. When rising from the chair structure, the rigid mounting of the structure prevents or at lest inhibits its toppling in the situation where sudden loss of balance results in a fall by the user against the structure. Thus the device, because of its inherent tip over immunity provides the option of recovering from the fall by offering something solid to grasp or to fall against such as the rail of the seat itself. Because of the large size of the base which extends beyond the legs it is virtually impossible for someone standing inside the rails of the device to get their centre gravity beyond the boundary of the base and cause a toppling action.
The arms extend well forward beyond the seat and are much higher than the arms of a conventional chair so they act as safety rails during movement from the bed to the closet for easy grasping by the patient or as rails to lean against for steadying purposes while standing.
The seat may be pivotally mounted on the frame so that it can be moved up to a raised position to provide more standing room without sacrificing the rigidity and safety of the frame structure.
The forward extended rails allow the user to reach forward to grasp the forward most portion of the rails so that the user can pull forwards to rise to the standing position. Movement from the seating position to the standing position and vice versa may be required for a number of occasions during dressing and undressing and the device therefore significantly improves the safety of the person while undertaking these activities.